A Shareasale Review – Are They Worth It?

Shareasale is one of the leading affiliate networks in the United States. It’s only natural that you would want to work with them. Before you take the leap, there are certain things you need to know. So read on for a complete review of its services.

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It’s clear that ShareASale is one of the best affiliate networks you could work with, even with all its issues. They offer a variety of merchants and have thousands of them exclusive to their site.

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Shareasale – At A Glance

Shareasale is one of the best names you could work with. Arguably, they’re the biggest affiliate network in the US. After all, they have over 700,000 affiliates on their platform.
The network came into being in 2000. Since then, they’ve been growing significantly and have won many awards. Most notably, its founder won the APP Fair Practice award, which is something all publishers want to hear.
Nowadays, Shareasale is owned by Awin. In 2017, they were sold to the Awin group for an undisclosed amount.

The Pros

Shareasale Has A Reputation

Shareasale is a major affiliate network. They’ve been in the industry for a while, creating a great name for themselves. At the end of the day, you’re better off working with them compared to other services. This is as you’re working with a company you can make money with.
If you want to be a merchant on the platform, you’ll have to be reviewed first. So, affiliates are in good hands.
When you make an account, you’ll get your payment monthly on the 20th. You can choose how you want to get paid and this can either be through PayPal, cheque or direct deposit. The fact that you can choose what form of payment you want is noteworthy.

Signing Up Is Easy

Signing up on Shareasale is one of the easiest things you could do. The process has around 5 steps.
That being said, there’s a $5 security deposit you’ll have to pay. When your account is verified, you get the money back. Unlike some networks, you could get the money immediately, rather than when you make your first commission.

They Have A Variety Of Advertisers To Choose From

When you’re looking for an affiliate network, search for one with a large number of merchants you can work with. Obviously, this means more money as a wider selection means better commissions.
In terms of Shareasale, they have around 5000 merchants to affiliate with. In general, this is a large number. That being said, many affiliate networks offer double, even triple this amount.
According to the platform, they have exclusive partners. You’ll find only 1000 merchants on Shareasale so if you’re looking for a specific affiliate, Shareasale might be where they are.
The 4800 merchants available work in a range of niches. According to the Shareasale, there are over 40 niches for affiliates to choose from. So, you’re spoiled in terms of options.
The merchants who make up Shareasale are major names in their industries. For example, you’ll see names like Viator, WP Engine, Mod Cloth, Jillian Michaels, and the NBA Store.
This doesn’t mean that there aren’t smaller advertisers. Shareasale is proud that they offer a mix of names.

Work With The Best Merchants

When you choose to work with Shareasale, you’re getting hold of a platform that gives you the best possible links. They have a feature called the PowerRank which showcases the best merchants on the site. With this knowledge, you know who’s worth your time.
What’s more, the PowerRank feature helps you find products that are extremely reliable. So, you won’t be leading your audience down the wrong path.
This isn’t the only way you can find the best merchants. The Platform is known for its advanced filtering options.

Get Custom Affiliate Links

Not only does it allow for customized searches, but Shareasale also lets you place customized affiliate links on your website.
This feature is used to cut URLs short. This is important as your readers may hover over the link but hesitate to open it if it’s too long.
You can also share your affiliate link with others. Shareasale has a handy social media tool that lets you post it wherever you like.

The Cons

Although there is a range of benefits when it comes to working with Shareasale, the affiliate network has a few issues.

They Don’t Have The Largest Selection Of Advertisers

When signing up for Shareasale, you’ll notice that they only have 4800 merchants to work with. Such a number isn’t the best when it comes to affiliate networks. Certain sites have better merchant pools.
The fact that Shareasale has 1000 exclusive merchants is great. However, a range of affiliate networks offer such a feature too, so keep this in mind.

Shareasale Isn’t Free

Technically, Shareasale is free. You can use its services without paying a dime unless your account has a balance of less than $50. If it is, you’ll have to pay a monthly fee of $25.
If your balance is below $25, you’re in deep trouble. Your account will be deleted, unfortunately. Shareasale will notify you about what’s going to happen to your account, which is a silver lining at least.
What’s worse, not that many affiliate networks have a minimum balance feature. So, consider this when choosing to work with Shareasale.
So, it’s important that your site gets a considerable amount of traffic before you invest in Shareasale.  Unfortunately, the platform isn’t strict when it comes to who can join. So, you could be the owner of a fairly unknown site, and have your account shut down as you’re not making great commissions.
If you’re an advertiser, Shareasale is more expensive to use. You need to pay $650 for an account.

You Might Not Get Paid

With the network, you can expect to get paid on the 20th of each month. That’s great, but you might not get paid depending on how well the affiliate link does on your site. If it doesn’t generate $50, you won’t get your money.

Conclusion

It’s clear that Shareasale is one of the best affiliate networks you could work with, even with all its issues. They offer a variety of merchants and have thousands of them exclusive to their site. What’s more, you can customize URLs and choose the best merchants with their PowerRank feature. However, you run the risk of not getting paid if your link doesn’t do that well. And If your site doesn’t get the most traffic, your account will be deleted. So, keep this in mind.